


Queens of Fire and Ice

by iheartgeekz



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-04-28 21:16:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5106023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iheartgeekz/pseuds/iheartgeekz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During joint training exercises in the north between East City and Briggs soldiers, Drachman insurgents plot to kidnap the Ice Queen of Fort Briggs to learn a way past the northern wall. There's just one problem: they took the wrong blonde. Mustang is forced to work the General Armstrong to stop the Drachmans from invading before it's too late and get his queen back by his side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Edward Elric fidgeted in his newly issued blue uniform. Even though he'd accepted his role as a dog of the military, this was the first time he'd been asked to wear a uniform, joining East City in joint exercises and war games in the north. It would still be three years before he was old enough to serve active duty but there was no age limit on training. From the moment the train had pulled away from the station, he'd been dreading it. Two days on a train up to the frozen north to meet with General Olivier Armstrong and her Briggs soldiers. Still, he'd survived alchemy training, abandoned on an island for a month with only a knife and his brother. The military couldn't possibly be worse than Teacher.

He shared a car with Roy Mustang's team. They had gone through these drills in the past and had a pretty good idea of what they were in for. It could be worse. If he was going to have to endure the next ten days, he'd rather go through it with those he knew and trusted. But travelling to the frozen north at the end of October sounded miserable, he could feel his automail freezing to his skin already just thinking about it. From what he'd heard from passing voices on the train, they would be camping in tents out in the woods.

"Hawkeye hates these things," Jean Havoc told him, flicking his cigarette butt out the window into the river, "It's like babysitting 500 Colonel Mustangs. One is bad enough."

Roy resented that remark, but decided to let it go, "It's more like ROTC students fresh out of basic, out just long enough for their discipline to lax. If you're going to survive the next few days, you need to be focused. The better you pay attention, the easier you'll have it." He was going to keep a close eye on the young alchemist the next few days, making sure he stayed out of trouble. "If you don't cause problems, you're practically invisible."

"So what do they do at these things?" Ed asked, staring out the window at the looming mountains.

"Survival skills, drills, lots of opportunities to kiss the asses of the higher ups if you're into that kind of thing." Havoc shrugged, "Some of it's kind of fun, but a lot of boring stuff in between."

"Don't forget the war games," Breda muttered, "Paintball. I pissed off Hawkeye last year and she shot my boys." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He couldn't quite remember what he'd done to invoke the sniper's wrath, but he sure remembered the pain.

"Hey Ed," Havoc whispered in his ear, "your brass is wrong."

Ed groaned, he'd been trying all morning to get it right, studying the book of guidelines Mustang had given him in preparation for the trip, "What did I screw up this time?"

Havoc ran a hand through his hair, "Honestly? I'm not sure, it just doesn't look right. Ask Hawkeye, she double checks mine all the time. One of the few times when her being a stickler is a good thing."

Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye had a line of young soldiers in front of her at the other end of their car, getting their uniforms inspected. He could tell by her exasperated expression that some of them were not even trying, just waiting for someone to do it for them. Despite her frustration, she hadn't turned anyone away. Even the most hopeless soldier was still a comrade in arms. He stood patiently in line, hoping she wouldn't be too annoyed with him.

"Good morning, Edward," she took a ruler to his shoulders and lapels. She could tell he felt out of place in his blue uniform, which was a little too big for him. The next few days were going to be rough on the boy.

"How did I do?"

"Not a bad attempt, don't let them get you down," Hawkeye assured him, "Just turn your lapel pins 90 degrees, and your two on top need to be switched. Where's your sidearm?"

"I wasn't issued one?" he shrugged. He frankly didn't want one either. He was more than capable of keeping himself safe in dangerous situations already, and he wasn't quite sure if he was comfortable using something with so much dangerous potential. Sure, alchemy could be dangerous, but he felt a great deal more control over his alchemy than he did a bullet.

Hawkeye removed a handgun from the small of her back, "Here, take this. I hope you won't be needing it, but we will be close to the border. You can never be too cautious. It's small, but never underestimate a firearm. It still has the potential to save your life and take someone else's."

"You're giving him the Chekov? That Drachman piece of crap?" Havoc asked, nearly spitting out his coffee laughing.

"It's good luck," Hawkeye assured him, "It will serve him well. And it's discrete."

"It's fun sized, like you, Ed!" Breda smiled.

"What about you?" Ed asked, trying to ignore the jabs while his pulse pounded in his ears from his skyrocketing blood pressure, "I can't just take your sidearm." Even unarmed, Hawkeye was far from helpless. But he didn't want her to compromise her safety for his.

"Don't let the baggy uniform fool you, she's still armed to the teeth," Havoc grinned, knowing she never carried less than two weapons, even when off duty, "Three guns and a couple knives by my count."

"Four." She corrected.

"Where the hell are you hiding that last one?" Roy asked, looking her up and down in surprise.

"And why do you need so many?" Ed asked incredulously.

"My job is to protect the colonel," she sighed, ignoring the colonel's question, "A man with far too many enemies for a man of his rank."

"I don't have that many." Roy pouted.

"Shall I start a list, sir?"

"I'd rather you did not, Lieutenant," he asked, retreating behind his newspaper.

"Alright then." She smiled, walking back to their table now that all the uniforms had been addressed.

"Are you two sharing a tent?" Ed asked the colonel.

"You can't be serious." Hawkeye asked, somewhere between annoyed and angry.

"No," Ed raised his hands defensively, "I didn't mean it like that, I just know you two are good friends." The last thing he wanted to picture was the two of them getting intimate.

"No co-ed tents, no hanky panky." Havoc explained, "Because gays and lesbian soldiers don't exist according to the military."

Roy told him, "Two to a tent for officers, three for enlisted, your assignment will be posted when we arrive."

"Typically, you will be placed with a soldier of a different rank," Hawkeye explained, "It supposedly encourages mentorship and comradery."

"And helps prevent the ego trips that come with putting the higher ups in tents together," Roy added, "Because the last thing a trip like this needs is more pissing contests."

* * *

"Oh great," Ed rolled his eyes, "I'm with you?" He has pushed his way past the crowd to the posting with tent assignments. Being short had its advantages. Sometimes. The list of tent pairings had him with Colonel Mustang for the remainder of their excursion.

"Tough break, kid," Havoc sighed, patting his shoulder, "Wanna trade?" He was placed with Major Armstrong.

"I'll pass," Ed decided, "Although there's a surprise." Down at the bottom of the list was Lieutenant Hawkeye's name with General Olivier Armstrong.

"That's got to be a mistake," Roy mused, "The generals never share."

"Is it so hard to believe that the General and I are friends?" Hawkeye asked, "She requested the arrangement and I agreed."

"Oh," Havoc raised an eyebrow, "Did you know Hawkeye is fluent in three languages?"

"Havoc," Roy cautioned, knowing where his subordinate was going with this.

"No kidding?" Ed remarked. "Which ones?"

"Ishvalan and Xingese fluently, her Drachman isn't bad either. She's a pretty cunning linguist."

"He doesn't know what that means, Havoc." Hawkeye signed, hoping she wouldn't have to shoot her friend by the time the day was done.

"I know what a linguist is!"

" _I think you need to have a talk with Edward. The boy is fourteen, it's about time he started to learn some of these things. His father can't teach him and I'd rather he not learn them from gutter talk with soldiers."_  Hawkeye spoke dangerously softly to Roy in a foreign tongue, " _If you don't talk to him then I will."_

_"_ _Fine, fine,"_  Roy replied, ignoring the curious stares of their fellow soldiers. He certainly didn't want Hawkeye to have to explain the finer points of intimacy to Ed, even if she was probably more qualified for the job. " _I'll ask him what he knows, go from there."_ He'd taught her Xingese when they were teenagers and her brain soaked it up like a sponge. It rolled off her tongue as smoothly as a native speaker. It was useful to have a more discrete way to communicate, and he loved hearing the sounds her voice could make.

_"_ _Thank you, Roy."_

_"_ _Of course."_


	2. Chapter 2

The train had come to a stop a few miles before their final destination. The remainder of the journey would only be possible on horseback or on foot, three miles into the foothills of the Briggs mountain range. It was pleasantly warm and sunny when they began their journey, but the air had become crisp and dry as they ascended. The slight breeze through the forest brought with it a biting chill. The last dry leaves of autumn crunched beneath bootheels as the soldiers lined up for their mounts. Winter was still several weeks away, but up here in the north, it was never far away.

Ed grew up in a farming town, it wasn't his first time on a horse. But as he fell into line, he realized why he rarely rode: they didn't care for him much.

"Edward is not controlling that animal," Hawkeye observed, watching him weave back and forth on the path. The horse kept trying to throw her rider, nearly succeeding a few times. When that failed, she tried to knock him off against a tree.

"Odd, he's about the right size for a jockey." Roy mused.

"Sir," she cautioned.

"Alright," Roy rode up alongside the boy who was struggling to not go in circles, "What seems to be the problem?" He struggled to keep his own mount under control next to Ed's bucking mare.

"She keeps wanting to turn!" Ed complained, "She wants to go left, what gives?"

"It's your leg," Hawkeye told him, after watching him carefully, "Your automail leg is heavier than your other one, isn't it? She thinks you're telling her to turn because she feels the pressure of the weight."

She hopped down, leaving her horse on the side of the path to wait for her while she took the reins from Ed's hand, pulling the animal down as she tried to rear up, "Easy there," she placed her hand on the horse's neck, calming it as it trotted in place nervously, "Squeeze a little more with your right to compensate, that will keep her straight."

Ed nodded, nervously taking the reins back, "What if she tries to throw me off again?"

"They're good at reading body language," Roy told him, "Maintain your confidence and she will trust her rider." Roy stayed close, keeping watchful eyes over Ed and his skittish mare. Hawkeye rode along the other side, keeping Ed in line between hers and Roy's. The horse seemed to mellow out, falling in line with their horses rather than Ed's movements.

Ed looked down at his mount, "Sorry I yelled at you, you just got confused, that's all. I don't blame ya."

* * *

At the top of the steep climb was an open field, decorated with tents. Smaller ones for camping were still springing up, larger ones for mess halls and meeting places. An Amestrian flag flew high above it all, whipping around in the bitter mountain breeze.

"First thing you'll need to do is set up our tent." Roy handed him an armload of supplies, "Get to it."

Ed looked around and noticed flashes of light popping up here and there. The State Alchemists. They were using alchemy to set up their campsites. There was a flash, and a messy heap of poles and tarps came together. It stood for a moment before collapsing under its own weight.

"You have no idea how to put together that tent, do you?" Roy shook his head and drew a circle on the ground with some chalk from his pocket, "You have to know what you're going to do with the matter you're going to transmute, a place for everything and everything in its place. After a few times setting up these by hand, you'll be able to do it this way." The older alchemist placed the supplies in the circle and brought his hands together, springing up the tent neatly.

Ed was a little embarrassed. Years ago, Teacher had left him and his brother alone on an island without the use of alchemy and a single knife to get by. They survived for thirty days in the wild. Had he really grown so lazy?

"At least I'm doing better than some people." Ed sighed, watching Fuery try to hold up all the tent poles at once, dropping them as he tried to tie the supports together.

The tent was a little cozier than Ed wanted to be with Roy Mustang but he had a feeling they wouldn't be spending much time sleeping. Still, staying with the colonel did have its advantages. While other soldiers struggled to set up campfires, the Flame Alchemist had one burning in an instant and frozen soldiers had stopped to huddle around the warmth.

The infamous military rations weren't quite as bad as he'd heard. He had eaten far worse in dire circumstances and at least it was hot. Something labelled as beef stew but nothing close to what he was used to from Granny Pinako's kitchen. Across the camp, he watched Lieutenant Havoc and Lieutenant Rebecca Catalina arguing. He couldn't make out what they were saying but it didn't look good. Rebecca disappeared into his tent and Major Armstrong half-dragged Havoc back to theirs before he said or did something he would regret.

"Be careful who you hurt.," Roy cautioned, "It's like scar tissue, you can let it heal but it will never be the same, never as soft, never as flexible. It's harder, and sometimes the pain will come back. It never goes away completely." Roy spoke slowly and deliberately, choosing his words with care.

"You've hurt someone like that before?" Ed guessed.

"Yeah," Roy nodded, "I did."

"And you regret it, is that why you're telling me this?"

"I didn't regret it, it had to be done," Roy sighed, "But I don't think either of us were the same after that."

"Who was it?"

"It was a long time ago, it's not something you need to worry about."

"No," Ed shook his head, "Not Hawkeye?"

Roy sighed, praying his Lieutenant wouldn't murder him for divulging this, "The summer before I left for Ishval, her father passed away. Before I left for the military academy, I stayed with her to make sure she was alright. We never meant for it to happen. Before I left, I decided to break it off. She buried her mother when she was just a girl. She'd just lost her father. If the military came to her door with a flag, I thought it would kill her."

* * *

_"_ _I never loved you. I only ever wanted you for sex, and once I'm over east, that's not an option anymore. There's no point in continuing this."_

_"_ _Why are you doing this?!" she screamed, "What did I ever do to you?" She could barely breathe, she wanted to wake up from this nightmare._

_"_ _Nothing. You were never good enough for me. Did you think this was a relationship?"_

_The words felt like poison on his lips. Every word stung at his heart, he wished he could stop, tell her he didn't mean any of it, and lay down with her by the fire again one last time._

* * *

"It may have been selfish, but I truly thought it would be for the best."

"Your agenda for tomorrow, sir," Lieutenant Hawkeye was standing over their shoulders, handing Roy a sealed envelope, "Is something the matter, Ed?" The boy looked like he'd seen a ghost. He was rarely uncomfortable around her. Around the colonel, he would be tense and antagonistic, but he'd always been very open with her.

"Uh," he shook his head, trying to come to his senses, "No, nothing, Lietenant!"

Hawkeye raised a skeptical eyebrow, "You told him. _"_ It wasn't a question.

"He asked, I wouldn't lie," Roy sighed, "I'm sorry."

She sat down beside them, warming herself by their fire, "It's alright."

"But, you two are still on good terms?" Ed asked, assuming the answer was yes. The two were always together, always having each other's backs.

"It's getting late, you should consider getting to bed soon. We'll be up before dawn." She excused herself without another word to Roy Mustang.


	3. Chapter 3

 The sound of a bugle woke the camp just before dawn. Roy groaned, pulling his covers over his head. Ed sat bolt upright, mumbling something while he brushed his hair out of his eyes. “What time is it?” His eyes slowly focused on the dark tent as he remembered where he was.

“0430,” Roy yawned, checking his pocket watch, winding it up carefully for the day, “Time to get up.” Half awake, he pulled on his T-shirt and sweats, desperate to get out and run to warm up his cold and tired body. This sure brought back memories, stiffness that went down to the bones after sleeping on these cots in a thin sleeping bag.

“Ughh,” Ed groaned, finding his boots, “Is it at least breakfast time?”

“Not until 0700,” Roy chuckled, “Trust me, you don’t want to eat before PT.” He learned that hellish lesson the hard way. Throwing up every few hundred feet, stopping to dry heave again at the end. Thankfully Ed still had the luxury of learning from Roy’s mistakes so he didn’t have to make them all himself.

Outside the tent, it was still dark, with only a few pink clouds lining the horizon to indicate dawn’s approach. Havoc and Hawkeye sat huddled around a low fire, sipping coffee by its dying light.

“You two are up early,” Roy noted, “Everything alright?” His subordinates were usually up and ready long before he was, but they usually didn’t look so worn down and exhausted. Usually he was the one that looked worse, even though he would walk in to work later with a couple more hours of sleep under his belt.

“Apparently snoring has also been passed down the Armstrong line for generations,” Hawkeye told him, her voice still soft and husky from sleep, “I barely slept.” He knew better than to mention it, but he could tell. She hadn’t even bothered to tie her hair up yet. When did it grow so long?

Havoc gave a sympathetic nod, “The Major is worse, he sleeps in the nude,” he shuddered, “and he sleepwalks.”

“Oh,” Hawkeye tried to keep a straight face, “I suppose I have it easy sharing with the General.”

“Want to trade?” Havoc asked, have joking, half pleading. He wouldn’t have minded if that tradition had also been passed down the Armstrong line.

“No thank you,” she smiled, trying to shake that mental image from her mind.

“Where did you get that coffee?” Roy yawned, following Havoc away from the fire as he went back for seconds.

Ed sat down beside Hawkeye, but avoided looking her in the eye, “I’m sorry about last night. It was none of my business.”

She shook her head, “It’s alright.” She didn’t want him dwelling over ancient history. It didn’t hurt anymore, or at least that was what she told herself.

“But, you two are still on good terms?” Ed asked, assuming the answer was yes. The two were always together, always having each other’s backs. Had she wanted to get away from him, she would have had endless opportunity. Yet her loyalty never seemed to waver.

She nodded, “Once you love someone, you never really stop. Even after all these years. There is nothing physical between us, but yes, I suppose I still do have some feelings for the colonel as I’m sure he does for me. But we are not allowed to act on those feelings.”

“You forgave him for hurting you like that?” he knew she had a good heart, that she was a forgiving soul, but being betrayed by a lover wasn’t something most people get over easily.

“A few months later, I sent him a letter while he was at the academy. It said simply, ‘I understand and I forgive you.’ I didn’t know if he would understand what I meant at the time, but I couldn’t bring myself to write more than that. A few weeks later, I joined him on the battlefield and I knew. I could tell by the look in his eye that we understood one another.” 

* * *

 

Hundreds of soldiers huddled in the cold, muttering under their breath as it hung in the early morning air. Generals Armstrong and Grumman stood in front of them, evaluating the ranks, “Where is Master Sergeant Fuery?” Grumman asked.

Mustang looked around, checking for his short subordinate, “I’m not sure General, he was just here.”

“Perhaps your men are not as disciplined as you’d like them to believe,” General Armstrong accused, looking at Colonel Mustang with disdain. Her cold blue eyes seemed to stare directly into his soul, but he refused to give her the satisfaction of intimidating him. “We’ll start without him.”

“Here he is!” Havoc shouted, holding up the half sleeping soldier by the collar, pulling him up from the ground. After blinking a few times, Fuery adjusted his glasses and stood at attention, trying to ignore the daggers glared at him by Colonel Mustang.

Breda slapped his hand to his forehead, groaning, “Why did I get roomed with this guy?”

“Lieutenant Hawkeye,” General Armstrong called, “If you’re willing to work with a competent team, you’re always welcome to join us at Fort Briggs.” She was only half-joking.

Hawkeye shook her head, “I think I’m right where I need to be, General.”

General Grumman shot a smug grin toward General Armstrong, “Now now, no stealing my soldiers, General, that’s not negotiable!”

“Suit yourself,” she chuckled, “I suppose East City needs something going for it. If it was on the border with an unfriendly country, I’d be nervous.” Armstrong knew the younger lieutenant was more capable than most soldiers her age. Distance was never a guarantee of safety and Hawkeye could hold her own anywhere she was needed.

“Let’s be thankful for the northern wall then,” General Grumman chuckled, “Let’s get to it! The course is marked, five miles, leading back here. You have one hour; I’ll mark the time. East City, I expect some stellar times from you all!”

“That doesn’t seem so bad,” Ed remarked, a little skeptical, “Is it going to get harder?”

“Yeah,” Roy nodded, taking off down the course with the others, “A lot of people are out of shape, either fresh from the academy or working desk jobs most of the year. PT is quite a shock to the system after all that.”

“Out of shape like you, you mean, desk monkey?” Ed ran ahead of the pack, hiding himself from Mustang’s reaction.

“I lost him, he’s such a small target!” Roy shouted ahead, drawing snickers from the other soldiers. Apparently Ed was learning not to fall for his taunts, because he didn’t see him exploding. He was growing more than he got credit for.


	4. Chapter 4

Although he was off to a good start, halfway through the course Ed started to lose steam. The running path looked innocuous, but the mountain trek was uphill enough to wear him down. His muscles were screaming at him, and his automail felt heavy and cold against his skin. Soldiers who had paced themselves better passed him by on all sides. Each step took more and more of his breath away. "Oh geez, how much further can this be?"

"Keep going," a familiar voice urged him from behind, "You're almost there and this next stretch is downhill." Colonel Mustang was urging him on, running at his side.

He nodded, forcing himself to keep going. He wasn't going to set any time records but he was going to cross the finish line with his dignity intact. Havoc caught up to him on his other side, panting heavily, "Don't start smoking, kid!"

Roy smiled, shaking her head, "It's never too late to stop."

Havoc shrugged, "Easier said than done." He'd tried more times than he was willing to admit. He even once asked Hawkeye to help him quit and she threatened to shoot the lighter out of his hand every time he tried to light one. Even that wasn't enough to help him quit, she couldn't follow him into the restroom. She eventually caught on when he started taking more and more trips to the head.

"Oh thank you merciful God," Havoc wheezed, spotting a row of tables in the distance, "Food!"

Ed's stomach churned. He wasn't sure if he was starving or nauseated until the smell of breakfast hit his nose. "Eggs, bacon, coffee!" He felt a surge of energy and ran forward across the finish line.

"Careful, coffee will stunt your growth!" Roy shouted as he ran alongside him, trying to beat him to the finish.

"Oh no you don't!" Ed panted, "I'm going to beat you this time!" It wasn't fair. The colonel had longer legs than he did and wasn't weighed down by automail. How was he supposed to guess that the desk monkey could run? They stayed neck and neck until the end, dashing past General Grumman and his stopwatch.

* * *

Exhausted soldiers sat around their tables, filling their plates with potatoes, eggs, and bacon. It wasn't very good food but it was hot and filling, so it didn't matter. Roy looked up and down the rows of tables, but his subordinate was conspicuously missing. Something about that sent chills up his spine. He sat down his fork, unable to bring himself to eat any more.

"What's wrong boss?" Havoc asked, halfway through a mouthful of eggs.

"Where is Lieutenant Hawkeye?" Roy asked, "She was here a while ago, I saw her finish the course." The seat to his right was still conspicuously empty. Even if she wasn't planning on joining him, it was not like her to go somewhere without telling him where she would be.

Havoc looked around, "I don't know. She's not with the General." General Armstrong was speaking with her brother a few tables away, and Hawkeye was not with her. Protocol dictated that soldiers were not to wander off alone on this excursion. If you needed to use the restroom, shower, or anything that required privacy, you were to go with your roommate. This close to the border, it was not safe to wander off alone. The enemy was never too far and dangerous weather was swift to come over the mountains.

Ed looked around, "There are a couple of other empty seats too," he pointed to a couple tables over where some Briggs troops were conversing next to some empty spots at their table, "Something doesn't smell right."

Across the way, General Armstrong whispered something in her brother's ear, prompting him to bolt upright from his seat, "You did what?!"

Everyone stopped eating, staring at the two siblings. General Armstrong smirked, ordering her brother to stand down, "You'll find out more shortly."

General Grumman chuckled, standing up from his table, "I guess we've reached a good starting point. All State Alchemists fall in! Everyone else, you are excused!"

The others wandered off slowly, looking over their shoulders curiously. Ed, Roy and Major Armstrong stood at attention, with three of the Briggs soldiers, State Alchemists in their own right. They exchanged puzzled glances, watching the two generals for any clue as to what was happening. Roy watched the others file out, wondering if he'd missed his subordinate in the crowd somewhere. Ed balled up his fists at his side, something was wrong. He didn't know what yet, but he didn't like it.

"Now, the more observant among you may have noticed some missing among our ranks," General Grumman began, "Some of you will not have noticed, but rest assured, something of yours is indeed missing. I've taken the liberty of having your loved ones abducted."

"What?!" Ed shouted, "What the hell kind of exercise is this?" His mind was racing, wondering just what the general had done, and with whom. _Winry? Alphonse? Someone else?_

"Mind your tongue, Fullmetal Runt!" General Armstrong roared, reminding the boy that as long as he wore that uniform, he was expected to fall in rank. Armstrong had earned his respect, even if he disagreed with her.

"Now now, I know you're naturally a little upset over this update," Grumman smiled, "However you might feel a little better knowing that no one was abducted against their will. I'm not a monster!"

"Yeah, not much better," one of the Briggs soldiers muttered, "You kidnapped my brother by asking nicely?"

"General, I understand that this is for our training, however Catherine is little more than a child, please be reasonable!" Major Armstrong pleaded to his sister.

"Your loved ones know the seriousness of your obligations and the importance of your training," Grumman reminded the solders, "What is the creed of the alchemists?"

"Be thou for the people," Ed muttered, knowing those words all too well.

"Exactly right!" Grumman praised, "You're soldiers, you serve your country. But as alchemists your duty is to the people above any political or nationalist cause. You are more than weapons, more than soldiers. You are bound by a responsibility to your fellow man. That's why your assignment is to rescue and recover those people most important to you." General Grumman paced up and down the row of alchemists, "A sister, a brother, a dear friend, perhaps something more precious?" He looked over the rim of his glasses at Roy Mustang with a gleam in his eye.

Had it been anyone but the General, Roy would have been tempted to throw a punch, or snap his fingers sending him running from an inferno. He had nothing but respect for General Grumman but this was a low blow. His teeth were grinding, sending pain radiating into his jaw. The gloves he wore kept his fingernails from cutting into his palms as he struggled to kept his fists balled firmly at his side. Ed elbowed him in the side sharply, bringing his focus away from the rage burning inside.

"You have one hour," General Armstrong announced, "To cross the lake and retrieve your hostage. Cooperation is encouraged, however you must retrieve your hostage in order to receive credit for this exercise."

Ed looked out over the lake to the tree line across the water. Someone was out there somewhere waiting for them.


End file.
